As mentioned below, the place is under new management and is now called The Perfect Pour. A new…read morecoat of paint was slapped on the wall and the menu whittled down, but the place is still the local watering hole for a hearty cast of regular booze-hounds. If you're not part of the crew, especially if you're under 45 (by quite a few years, in my case), it can be a little intimidating, because it's obvious you're sticking out like a sore thumb as Not A Regular. This is the kind of place where the head waitress, likely the owner's wife, rubs your back while asking, "What'll you have, hun?" No formality here. A modern jukebox sits in the corner for when there isn't a live performance to drown out any conversation. But that's just how the Saturday night regulars like it; the brew flowing and the music loud while they dance and slosh their beers about. Atmosphere-wise, this place definitely isn't for me, nor was it for my even-younger companions. But the food was surprisingly satisfying. I ordered a one-piece fish and chips. Handcut fries were a little limp, but really good. The fish was moist and flaky, and I loved the battered coating. The coleslaw was a little bland, though. One of my dining companions had a very large order of the fettuccini. I was impressed that it came with a side of real parmesan and toasted garlic ciabbatta instead of just plain buttered toast. It was a large portion, but it filled up the teenaged athlete, which is no small feat. A pound of wings was ordered off-menu, and seemed to be good too. If you're looking for value, this place should be on your radar: dinner for 5, including 4 beers, tax, and tip, was just under $65. I probably won't come back to this place anytime soon, or at least not on a weekend, because I felt uncomfortably out of place for my age and level of sobriety. Maybe after a beer tour or two, I could be convinced to try and blend in with the regulars... in a few years.

New hat... same old dive. Our Friends Pub is under new…read moremanagement, now called the Perfect Pour. From the name you would expect a wide selection of beers... on tap. Not so much. They even have a Clancy's sign on the wall... but don't serve it. Maybe it'll take some time for the new management/owners to spruce the place up, but I wasn't impressed at all. My meal was average, burger, fries, nothing wrong, just nothing special either. Service was slow (but we were a table of 7), though our waitress Colleen was a riot and very personable. The fact that I was with some "regulars" probably helped. Not sure if I'd go back... definitely won't make it a destination. Sorry Perfect Pour... I wanted to like you. No wi-fi, wheelchair accessible, but the washrooms are sketchy.

Been here for food like over a few years ago- prices still awesome with some new meal additions and…read moreservice always great Will be returning soon!

Such a fun Halifax spot -- great energy, super friendly staff, and unbeatable prices. Loved the…read morelocal beer lineup (Keith's, Oland, Toller -- iconic), plus the nachos and poutine hit perfectly. Perfect place for casual drinks, dancing, and a laid-back East Coast vibe. Will definitely be back!

This is a really cool speakeasy. In order to get in you need to find the email address to request…read morethe secret phrase. When you get that you are given admission thru the "cover" restaurant. We came in on a Saturday night when they opened at 7pm. We were escorted down around 7:15pm. Neat way to enter the actual speakeasy. Once in you are greeted in a dimly lit "library" with a bar. There was 50's jazz which added to the ambiance. Bar tender and servers were very friendly and attentive. Ordered a few special drinks. (See pictures). Overall a great speakeasy experience. Glad to have found one in Halifax.

You can't get in unless you know the password that is delivered via email when you are on the email…read morelist. We walked in said our password and they were 40 mins late on setting up on Saturday Halloween eve. Only servers can allow you in. Atmosphere is dungeon library with 1950s music. Drinks are $15-17 each. We ordered: - Grandma's Boy ($17): 3/5 similar to Old Fashioned. A very simple straight up old fashioned that didn't have much complexity. - The Last Barman Poet ($17): 3/5 tequila based sour. A bit savoury because of the spices. Not that complex either. Overall: Such as shame as the atmosphere is amazing. Compared to a lot of restaurants with cocktails, this one is pricier and less amazingly prepared. We were disappointed with the selections and that's why we only tried 2 and left.

Amazing! 5 star in the food & service…read more I don't normally expect the best service on opening day but it was spectacular. Be ready to walk some stairs, as there are washrooms on only one floor.

Great food and cocktails but giving three stars because the bar tender kept removing his mask and…read morethe music was so loud.

It was a cold evening outside but a deliciously cozy environment inside! I was in the area for work…read moreand this was a great place to wrap up my stay. There are a variety of cocktail and other drink options, including for someone who doesn't drink frequently. And the food! My colleague and I each ordered seafood meals and cleared our plates. I think the grilled lemon was an especially nice touch.

Unfortunately this restaurant relies on its exceptional location and decor to attract patrons…read moreinstead of offering great food and service. Halifax has so many good restaurants that it is surprising Mercantile is still a float. If changes aren't made to improve I can't see this restaurant surviving.

Been coming here pretty much every year since they first opened!…read moreNot bad- hit or miss with the offerings but reservations are easy and accommodating! The fish n chips are crazy amazing! Last time we were here it was good all over but I felt like the staff were a bit bored as they just stood there looking at you lol - I can't remember how busy it was- And our server was quick to try and take our not finished dishes lol But I still enjoy this place seasonally!

Horrific is how I would describe our experience on June 21st, 2025…read more We reserved space on the Stone's Throw Patio for a company group with out-of-towners included in the 28 people (6 kids in the group) at 5:15pm... on the patio. Drink and food orders were taken by 5:30 for everyone. At 6:15pm when we had only received the initial water and the server had not returned once with our drinks, nor the truffle fries ordered for the tables, nor even a return visit to freshen up the water, we spoke to the manager on duty. At 7:00pm we had our drinks and still no table fries and no food. We were continually told it was coming ... "10 more minutes" or "give us 20 minutes." I even warned 3 women with 3 little kids looking to go in that we had been there 90 minutes and nothing but they still went in - AND got their food within 30 minutes!!!! (We were reluctant to leave with such a large group, as we were not sure we could find anywhere else to help us) At 7:41pm (they close at 8), when asked again about any food, Frank said give us 20 more minutes. I asked if any food from our order had even been started. No was the reply. When we said - that was it, we were done, and to get the drinks bill, he tried to say it had been started. At this point, I had gone to a nearby place (Thank you Lower Deck!) who said they could help us, we paid the drink bill and left. In my entire life, I have never experienced such poor service from any place anywhere. How or why someone could not get our orders in and going, orders which were taken by the server by 5:30pm is beyond me. 2.5 hours and all we got were drinks. Horrific service. Embarrassing for us too - we were trying to show off the great place of Halifax to the CEOs visiting and as much as everyone tried to keep it light - the experience left a poor taste in everyone's mouth... the only taste we got! Never going back and tearing up my Marriott rewards cards as well. And yes, we are reaching out to speak with the general manager as well.

The service was good and the ambiance was quiet. It was early in the evening but it appears to be a…read morenice spot to come and have a drink and chat with friends. The bartender was great and Lexi K makes a great lemon drop martini.

Fine. I concede: The Bitter End has long sunk below the five-star rating it once deserved in my…read morebooks. Once upon a time, this was a gorgeous, classy space where you could order one of the best cocktails in the city. Unfortunately over the years, the rest of the city has grown up and the Bitter End has stayed exactly the same. Today, their martinis (that are actually sugary cocktails in martini glasses) fail to compete with some of the craft cocktails available elsewhere, the service often borders on apathetic, and the food never quite recovered from the menu reduction that happened several years ago. I could get over one or two of these things, but not all three at once. It's not all bad though. Sometimes you'll get a nice server, you'll almost *always* get an attractive one, I dig the soundtrack and DJs that they bring in, and they do boast prime patio real estate in the summers.

I actually had a really great experience at this location. Mike and I went for lunch on a Saturday,…read moreand it was pleasantly not busy on the lounge side. The decor is upscale for a franchise, with a large dining room, a semi-private room for parties, and a spacious lounge area. Their menu has very good variety for someone who is both vegetarian and lactose intolerant (I can feel all the eye rolls from here ;-). I ordered the portobello mushroom burger and asked for no cheese. The server, Ausha (hope I've spelled her name right) checked with the kitchen to see what else contained dairy in the dish and conferred with me to ensure there were no possible issues. No server has ever done that before, and I really appreciated being taken seriously. The mushroom burger was absolutely delicious. Mike had a loaded burger, which was also delicious. Their drink menu is extensive and includes some local options. Prices are a bit on the steep side, but it's worth it. We did try the Dartmouth location years ago and were underwhelmed. I'm so glad they've picked up their game. We'll definitely be returning.

My wife and I developed food poisoning symptoms after our anniversary dinner at Moxie's Steakhouse…read more Both of us were sick all night after sharing truffle fries, a burger, and steak salad. When I returned the next day to report the incident and request a refund, the store manager (Yamac) was extremely unprofessional. He dismissed my request for compensation of any kind, called me "just a person off the street," and even threatened to press charges when I warned other diners about our experience. UPDATE: The regional manager Nic reached out and handled matters differently. He acknowledged Yamac's poor response and remedied the situation respectfully and professionally. While the initial food safety issue and Yamac's terrible response were unacceptable, Nic's intervention shows that leadership does care about making things right when problems occur.